holyplace – rene bauer photography

Palestine – Bethlehem, Banksy and Jesus

There’s quite a controversy about the birthday of Jesus. While some historian beliefs it was actually in Nazaraeth, where he supposed to spend also his youth, other stays with the place written in the Gospels: Bethlehem.

After entering the city trough heavy guarded check-points, we stopped at one of the best known graffiti by the anonymous artist Banksy.

‚The Flower Thrower‘

The main program lead to the spot where, according to the gospels and the belief of christians, Jesus was born in a little shack. Around this place a big church with several units and chapels were build.

This Church Of The Nativity has different section according to different Christians churches, similar like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Old Jerusalem. And like there, here too they have this agreement of ‚Staus Quo‘.

März 25, 2023 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, history, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, landscape, reportage, roadtrip, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: banksy, believers, bethlehem, birthplace, checkpoint, church, churchofnativity, faith, grafiti, holy, holyplace, israel, middleeast, mosaic, mural, palestine, pilgrimage, pilgrims, renebauerphotography, Travel, urban Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Israel – Holy Places In Jerusalem (2/2)

There was much more to see in this holy city. Most obvious the Dome of the Rock on top of the temple plateau.

The area is bigger than it seemed from below. Tina, the tour guide, lead us over a wooden ramp along the western wall to the plateau near Al-Aqsa mosque. From there the view opened to the famous Dome of the Rock.

Around the plateau are many trees and park like areas where family gathering for a picnic and kids playing happily. But in the middle of all stands raised in the middle the Dome of the Rock with shiny, golden Dome.

To my surprise a group of orthodox Jews appeared on the spot. Actually it’s not allowed to Jews to come near to the holy of holies before the „new temple“ is erected. Tina explains us, it’s allowed to walk along the top of the wall of the plateau, but not getting to close to the centre. These groups are always escorted from a bunch of Israeli police for protection, but also from muslim watchmen, who not allow them to get to close on their holy buildings.

The last stop was on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. That place where Jesus supposed to be crucified, buried and resurrected from the tomb. Not less than six different Christian churches claiming the right to control that spot. The Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic, Syriac and Ethiopian Orthodox. Over the centuries they fight about the right to be holier than other ones, until it came to an agreement in 1757, so called Status Quo, which says, there can be changed or removed only with the agreement of all the other five churches.

This leads to very disturbing stories, as the so-called immovable ladder. A simple, wooden ladder at one of the windows on the Armenian sector, which is at same spot since 1728 and can’t be removed because of the Status Quo.

Once inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, there are many rooms, halls and passages between the different sections and churches inside. Tania, our guide, explained a lot of the history, legends and rituals of each sector. But i can’t stop wondering and observing the lot of pilgrims coming from all over the world, kneeling in front of a certain rock, touching a stone board in prayers or kissing an image of a saint.

März 18, 2023März 17, 2023 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, history, reportage, tradition, travel, UncategorizedTags: calvary, christianity, churchoftheholysepulchre, domeoftherock, goldendome, golgatha, holy, holyplace, immovableladder, islam, israel, jerusalem, jesus, judaism, middleeast, religion, renebauerphotography, tomb, tombofjesus, Travel 1 Kommentar

Israel – Holy Places In Jerusalem (1/2)

Jerusalem isn’t that huge, but full of spots, which considered to be holy to religions as Jews, Christians and Moslems, and if you want so, also the many markets, which could be considered as places to worship the capitalism 😉

To visit most places and get more informations i joined a tour group for the day.. Tour guide Tania lead the group to the many interesting places. Starting in the Armenian quarter, stopping by at ancient Roman columns, we arrived one of the highlights on this tour. The Western Wall, also known as Wailing Wall!

The Jews coming here to pray, because it’s the closest spot to the former most holy place within the ancient temple. It’s not only a place to pray, but also to study and teach. A rabbi appears with a big group of young believers. A film team is following them. Seemed to be quite a famous guy.

Left to the open square, the wall continued behind a big gate into great halls, or tunnels respectively. More prayers inside there. To my surprise, there’s also a big library with books and texts to study.

On the top of the temple plateau lies not only the famous Dome of the Rock, but als the third important mosque of the islam, the Al-Aqsa mosque. There’s no way to get in for non-believers, but at least i got look on it and the square in front of.

Around the temple plateau are narrow streets with markets. Between all the tourists and local shoppers a procession of pilgrims carry a wooden cross along the Via Dolorosa.

I come trough one of the city gates past playing children. Outside are big cemeteries, jewish and muslim ones. Between them lies the Garden of Gethsename with its old olive trees. Just behind it the ascent of Mount of Olives starts. From the top is a stunning view back to the old city, the city wall and the temple plateau with the Dome of the Rock. But more about it tomorrow.

März 17, 2023März 16, 2023 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, history, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, portrait, reportage, tradition, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: alaqsa, armenianquarter, christianity, holy, holycity, holyplace, islam, israel, jerusalem, judaism, middleeast, mosque, mountofolives, pilgrim, pilgrimage, renebauerphotography, viadolorosa, wailingwall, westernwall Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Israel – A Random Day In Jerusalem

Arriving on a new town i like to roam around randomly, drinking coffee in the streets, visiting a market place or hanging around a square and listen to the street musician. Just to get the vibes of the new place. Jerusalem was no exception in that.

The people were busy. Most of them. A few took their time to listen to the street music. Some homeless people were on the streets also, hoping for a Shekel or two, while a soldiers taking a cigarette break. Lots of security units on the squares anyway, but no ones seems to feel threatened or scared. In the opposite, all pretty relaxed and enjoying life. Even when a small demonstration passes by, chanting incomprehensible sayings and waving Ethiopian flags. All peacefully.

Without planning i ended up in the Old Town Jerusalem. Eventually i stood in front of the Western wall with the view of praying Jews and the Dome of Rock. Having already a glimpse on the main attractions of the city, i decided it’s enough for today and headed back to New Jerusalem on search of a tasty falafel meal.